Latch



L. W. HOLLAND.

LATCH.

APPLlcATloN man 1uLv24. 1,917.

1,341,802. mmm... 1, 1920.

WITNESSES A TTORNEYS y UNITED sTALs NT FFICE?.

LUTHER WATSON HOLLAND, on PLEASANT HILL,y MISSOURI.

LATCH.

Application filed July 24,

To all 'whom it may concern: i

Be it known that I, LUTHER WATSON HoL- LAND, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pleasant Hill, in the county of Cass and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful improvement in Latches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in latches and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed. Y

An object of my invention is to provide a simple fornr of lock, having a latch member which will spring in behind a latching lug on the door, thereby latching the door and preventing its accidental opening.v Y A further object of my invention is to provide a spring-pressed latch member which is normally held out of operative position,A

but which may be instantly brought into operative position by the pressure of the latching lug on a portion of the detent.

A further object of my invention is to provide a latch of extreme simplicity which will obviate the necessity of slamming a door to latch it, and yet which will retain the ldoor in vits latched position, thus obviating all danger ofthe doors coming open.

A furtherobject of my invention is to provide a latch'of the vtype described having a handle whose movement lreleases theV latch member, thus permitting the opening of the door when desired.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the followingvspecification and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

' My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in which F igure| l is a view from the inner side of the latch as applied to a door showing the latter in its open position,

Fig. V2 is a view similar to Fig. l showing the door in .its closed position withthe parts in 'latching engagement, Y

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section along the line 3%3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section along the line M of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section along the line 5--5V of Fig. 2,

6 is an enlarged section along the line 6-6 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1917. serial No. 182,410. Y iain parts' of the device ready to be asseme In carrying outmy invention I provide a supporting frame which consists of ametal plate l having a flange 2 at one edge thereof. This flange, as will be observed from Figs.

5 and 6, is not at right angles to the late ly but is at an obtuse angle. At 3 is a cu away portion which, as will be observed, includes i' a rectangular portion in the plate land an extension 3X in the flange. On the inner side of the plate 1, that is to say, onjgthe side on which the llange 2 is formed is al vhandle l made in the form of a bell-cranklever which is pivoted at 5 to the plate l.

In the drawing the handle is shown as be-v ing bent at right angles at the point 6, so as to present a flat side facing the front part of the latch. One end of the handle is formed into a latch plate having a beveled portionV The end .ly is arranged to swing past the opening 3 as shown in Fig. 7. A stop pin 4.- limits the movement of the handle 4 in one direction. vAt 7 in Fig. 7 I have'shown a housing for a spring. This Vconsistsof a body portion' having laterally extending flanges 7a, ears 7b being struck `up :from these flanges.` Tongues 7 are 'arranged to 'enter openings IX in the plate l, seefF ig. 7, i so as to secure the housing in position. As

will be seen from the drawings, the flanges 7a terminate short of the end of the housing 7 so as to leave a space 7 d into which the end of the handle 4 may project.

Referring again to Fig. 7, I have shown a detent which has a body portion 8. lIt is provided with a flange 8a which is arranged to lit over one end of the spring 7, andwith trunnions 8b arranged to enter the ears 7b. The detent 8 has a flange 8C which forms a stop or latch member for the handley 4, as will be hereinafter explained. f

Arranged to coperate with the lock is a strike plate having a body portion 9 and Y a flange l0 disposed at an obtuse angle thereto, with a. latching' lug 11 secured' partly to the body portion and partly to the flange. This latching lug is arranged to enter the openings 3 and 3X in the plate l and the flange 2. The lug is provided with' beveled portions 11a and lvlband it has a' groove 1lc which faces the flange 10 so as to 6.0 i" 1 springepressed pivoted latch plate .carried formA a slotv into Whihh the end ay of the handle 4 may enter. The face of this slot 11c is beveled at eighteen degrees to conform with the bevel of the-portionty.

In assembling the vparts the ears 7 of the housing 7 are placed in the slots 1X and are secured thereto by riveting or in any other suitable manner. The detent 8 is secured to the ears 7 b; a spiral spring 12 is disposed. in the housing with one end bearing on the portion 8L of the detent and. the .handle is then secured in position so as to be pressed uponby one end of the spring 12.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood.

When the door is open the latch is in the position shown in F ig. 1 in which the handle is swungtoward the right, thereby cornpressing the spring 12 and permitting the flange 8c of the detent to engage that portion of the handle which constitutes a latch plate.

The strike plate is secured to the door frame 13 in the manner shown in Figs.,5 and 6. Now when the ldoor is swung toward the strike plate 4the latching lug 11 will enter the. opening in the lock and will engage the detent 8, pushingvit away from the, latch portion of the handle 4, so'as to permit the spring to enter the groove 11C, thereby retaining the parts in position. The closed position is shown in F ig. 2 in which ligurev a portionof the detent S is broken awayto show the spring 12.

@Itfwill be observed that the beveling of the handle atfll' and also of the latching lug at 11C'causes the door to be held firmly Y against the flange 10 of the strike plate.

l into .position behind the lug. Y Arrangement of the parts is suchthat the The bevelingof the latching lug at 11C and 11b tends to .center the lug in the opening 3, thus. counteracting any effect Vwhich may be produced by slight sagging of thedoor or lifting` ofthe samer.

The device has few parts, yet'it positively cient to `causethe detent to disengage the.

latch handle so that the latter willspring dooris held` in rigid position and a smallk spring vis entirely suicientvto operate the detent and the latch handle. Y YI claim: f f1. The combination with a door jamb having al lug, of a door having a latch, said latch having a casing providedV with. an. opening arranged to receive the lug, a

bypsaidcasing, a pivoted detent for holding .the'datch plate against the .tension of the on said; latch plate, and at the other end on said detent.

. 3. The combination with a door jamb. having a lug, of a door having a latch, said latch having ay casing provided withV an Opening arranged to receive the lug, a. 'pive oted latch plate, a handle securedfto said` pivoted latch plate, a pivoted detent. arranged to engage said latch plate for holding thelatter in position, a spring disposed between the latch plate and the detenty for placing the y.latch plate and the detent underv tension, said detentbeing arrangedfto be engaged Y by the lug for releasing the latch plate to permit the entrance ofthe latterY between the lug and the casing of the latch.'

4. The combination with a doonjamb having a latching lug, of a door provided with a latch,M said latch having a casing provided with an opening arranged toreceive the lug, a latch plate ivotally mounted-.on the casing of thelatch and arranged-to en.-

ter between the lug andthecasing, a piv.-

oted detent having, a. portion Aarranggged to.

engage said latch for normally holding the, Y

latch plate out f of Y engagement with said lug, a commonspring for exerting4 tension on said latch plate and 'said detent,said detent having al proj ecting. portion arranged to be.

engaged by said lug for releasing the latch plate. Y a

5. yIn a latch, a casing havingy an opening., a latch plate havingV a portion adaptedvto be brought into registration with the opening, a movable detent havingfaportion-arranged toy engage said latchplate to nor-l mally hold the latter out .of registration with the opening, acommon spring-,forY placing tension on the detentzand on the latch plate,

said detent also havinga projection in. registration with the opening., the movement. of said projection. serving to. free the. detent from the latch plate andv to permit thelatter toV spring into registration with said opening.

6. In a latch, the combination of acasingl consisting` of flat plate havinga langeat one side thereof, and an openingextendin partly through the plateand partly lthrong i its flange, a bell cranlcleven piv'otally mounted on theinner side of said plate-'and having an end arranged to be broughtinto.

. registration with. said. 4 opening, a detent .Y pivotally mounted on said plate and having a portion in registration with said opening,

said detent also having a portion arranged to engage said bell-crank-lever for holding the latter out of registration with the openving, a spring for normally pressing said bell-crank-lever toward said opening and for pressing said detent toward said bell-cranklever, the movement of the detent away from the plate serving to free the bell-crank-lever and to bring the latter under the tension of the spring into registration with the openma.

. The combination with a door jamb, of

a strike plate 'secured thereto and having aV flange, a latching lug carried by said strike plate and having a groove facing the ange, a door having a latch, said latch having a casing provided with an opening arranged toy receive the lug, a spring pressed latch plate carried by said casing, a movable detent for holding the latch plate against the tension of the spring, said detent being arranged to be engaged by the lug and to be removed to release the latch plate, thereby permitting the latter to enter between the lug and the flange on the strike plate.

8. The combination with a door jamb, of a strike plate having a latching lug secured thereto, a latch having a casing provided with an opening arranged to receive the latching lug, a pivoted latch plate carried by the casing, a spring for normally holding said latch plate under tension, a housing forl the spring, a pivoted detent carried by the housing for retaining the latch plate against the tension of the spring, said lug being arranged to enter the opening and to move the l latch, said latch having a casing provided with an opening arranged to receive the lug, a latch plate having a portion adapted to enter between the lug and the casing, a detent for normally holding the latch plate out .of latching position and a single spring for placing both the latch plate and the detent under tension at all times.

10. The combination with a fixed member having a lug, of a movable member having a latch, 'said latch having a casing provided with an opening ar'ranged'to receive the lug, a latch plate having a portion aclapt-V ed to enter between the lug and the casing,

a detent for normally holding the latch plate outof latching position and a` single spring` bearing at one end on the latch plate and at the other end on the detent, and means for retracting the latch plate against the ten-k sion on the spring whereby the tension on the detent is increased.

. L. W. HOLLAND. 

